The first few hours of NHL free agency saw a flurry of signings, but one of the most intriguing involved the Toronto Maple Leafs putting pen to paper with two-time Stanley Cup champion Sergey Bobrovsky.
The 37-year-old is headed to Toronto on a three-year deal worth $7 million a year, which, for a goalie who has won two Cups in the last three years, is one heck of a deal.
However, this deal may not be as foolproof as you’d think given Bobrovsky’s resume, which includes a pair of Vezina Trophies.
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For starters, Bobrovsky is coming off what was statistically the worst season of his career. His .877 save percentage this year was the lowest of his career, while his 3.07 GAA was tied for the highest.
Of course, that’s not a total surprise considering the banged-up Panthers missed the playoffs this season. However, according to Statmuse, they were still in the top third of the league in limiting shots.
MAPLE LEAFS TOP PICK GAVIN MCKENNA KICKS OFF HIS TIME IN TORONTO WITH A ROUGH CEREMONIAL PITCH
The problem, though, is that Bobrovsky is headed to the Leafs, who led the league in shots allowed last season.
It stands to reason that Bobrovsky got at least a little help from playing behind a fairly solid defensive team, and still, the numbers were pretty rough.
The Leafs have to know that this is an issue.
Bobrovsky should still have tread on the tires, and maybe last season was an anomaly. But, regardless, the Leafs can’t just say, “We’ve got a Stanley Cup-winner in net; mission accomplished!” and then dust off their hands.
Nope. They’ve got to beef up their blue line and make sure that they have some defensively responsible forwards in the mix too.
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If they can do that, then this could work out nicely, especially if they use a tandem of Bobrovsky and fellow former Panther Anthony Stolarz.
If they don’t? Well, it’s hard to imagine next season — the rookie campaign for top pick Gavin McKenna — being kind to the Leafs.